you are your own fairy tale

By Amanda Lovelace

Goodreads Choice Award-winning poet and bestselling author amanda lovelace presents the you are your own fairy tale series bound collection— a beautiful and empowering trilogy that proves the only thing needed for a happily ever after is yourself.
this elegantly bound edition of amanda lovelace’s you are your own fairy tale trilogy includes all of the poems from break your glass slippers, shine your icy crown, & unlock your storybook heart that you fell in love with, as well as a new & never-before-seen introduction written by the author. you are your ownfairy tale is a must have for every lover of beautiful things & magical words.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
• Release date: Jan 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9781524883287

Amanda Lovelace

Amanda Lovelace is a bestselling poet who rose to fame through her poetry posted to Tumblr and Instagram. Her works have a feminist character, bringing new versions of traditional tales. They have succinct and direct verses, although reflective.

Book preview

1.jpg

other works by amanda lovelace

the

series:

the princess saves herself in this one (#1)

the witch doesn’t burn in this one (#2)

the mermaid’s voice returns in this one (#3)

slay those dragons: a journal for writing your own story

believe in your own magic: a 45-card oracle deck & guidebook

***

the

things that h(a)unt

duology:

to make monsters out of girls (#1)

to drink coffee with a ghost (#2)

***

flower crowns & fearsome things

contents

break your glass slippers

shine your icy crown

unlock your storybook heart

introduction

dear reader,

hello & welcome to the enchantingly beautiful compilation of the you are your own fairy tale poetry trilogy!

further inside, you’ll find three poetry collections: break your glass slippers, shine your icy crown, & unlock your storybook heart. all of them are inspired by tales—both old & new—beloved by many. (if you’d like, you can make a game of it & keep track of how many references you can find.)

these collections are, by very definition, fictional, therefore you might be surprised to learn that i consider them to be some of my most personal collections to date. in them, i write about feelings & experiences i didn’t get to explore in my earlier poetry collections, whether it was because they didn’t fit or i wasn’t yet ready to face them.

in break your glass slippers, i write about a girl struggling with body image & self-worth.

in shine your icy crown, i write about a girl dealing with depression & anxiety.

in unlock your storybook heart, i write about a girl grappling with grief & perfectionism.

none of these girls are me, exactly, but at the same time, i’ve been all of them at one point or another. if i saw one of them in just the right lighting, or from just the right angle, even i might end up mistaking them for my own reflection.

it’s possible that you might recognize parts of yourself in them, too.

& truthfully, nothing would make my heart happier, for it has always been my belief that every person deserves to see themselves in the fairy tales they read.

though you may not relate to every word written on these pages, i hope there’s at least one poem that finds you at exactly the right time. one that makes you feel a little more understood than you did before reading it. one that inspires you to see your life as the marvelous fairy tale it is.

laced with love,

amanda

for those who

break glass slippers

as well as glass ceilings.

trigger warning

this book contains

sensitive material relating to:

child abuse,

toxic friendships,

toxic romantic relationships,

sexual harassment,

eating disorders,

fatphobia,

suicide,

trauma,

& possibly more.

remember to practice self-care

before, during, & after

reading.

break your glass slippers contents

i

ii

iii

foreword by nikita gill

When I was a child, I learned fairy tales are dangerous. If you believe in them too much as they are, you may find yourself under a darker spell of your own devising—wishing for princes and hoping someone saves you from the troubles in your life. It was only a few years ago, when I stumbled onto amanda lovelace’s luminous work on a cold, foggy English evening in a bookstore, that I realized how empowering fairy tales can be.

In break your glass slippers, amanda brings to life a story that many of us have loved as children and questioned as we got older. Her words exquisitely bind the contemporary with the traditional, creating a lyrical tale of hope, inner power, and fearlessness.

The Cinderella in this book is a survivor in every way. She rises from the depths of an abyss created by despair and becomes a force to be reckoned with—all while showing us how there is strength in vulnerability and true courage in accepting who you are.

The message in this captivating book of poetry is clear: take this modern fairy tale, treasure it, and share it with someone you love. Let it teach you that the magic you are looking for already rests inside you, waiting for a spark. Let it remind you of your spirit through mystical words that awaken the flames inside you.

Here, we all get to be Cinderella, our own Fairy Godmother, and best of all, our own Prince.

May the magic help you build your own happily ever after.

May your soul feel full and bright when it does.

Nikita xxx

let me tell you a sad story

there is a girl who

sings only when

every window

is shut.

like most girls,

she’s been learning

the trait of silence

since birth.

everyone

underestimates

how important

her voice is,

& the greatest

tragedy of all is

that she does,

too.

let me tell you an even sadder story

there is a girl who

dances only when

every curtain

is closed.

like most girls,

she’s been learning

the trait of invisibility

since birth.

no one

ever bothers

to see how

special she is,

so she

decides to dance

with her own

shadow.